Focus on Yourself

Community College

When planning for college, you must decide if you are going to live on or off campus. So, what if you plan to attend a community college? Do you even have an on-campus housing option? When weighing your educational opportunities, you need not only consider the obvious details such as location, cost and size, but you should find out exactly what your housing prospects are, as well.

The last thing you want to do is fall in love with a school that isn’t offering the living arrangements you desire. So, have YOU thought about it? Put yourself under the microscope and ask yourself if you have a clear understanding of where you will reside once you become a college student.

For those of you contemplating community college, you have probably accepted the fact that you will be a commuter. While commuting is an adequate situation for some students, it does not have to be your fate if you don’t want it to be.

Changing trends

In the past, the selection process for on-campus housing was more limited, as a good number of community colleges did not offer this option. However, due to the current state of our economy and the increasing costs of, well pretty much everything, more students are choosing two-year schools over four-year schools. Thus, the influx of students to community colleges has resulted in more community colleges offering on-campus housing.

Alexandria Pellingra, a 22-year-old student now attending SUNY Geneseo (www.geneseo.edu) once attended Monroe Community College (www.monroecc.edu) in Rochester, N.Y. Pellingra received her associate’s degree from MCC, and she lived in a dorm on campus during her freshman year. She lived in a suite with four other girls and had her own bedroom.

On-campus benefits

While no one can promise you that you will be fortunate enough to have your own room, Pellingra says there are some real, significant benefits to living on campus. “I actually didn’t realize at the time how beneficial being close to all the staff and facilities of the college was. Being able to meet with professors any time of day and being able to spend nights in the library and be close to accessible printers and writing labs was really great,” says Pellingra.

In addition, Pellingra says that she was able to experience the real feeling of college and meet people that she never would have met before. “It was a really great year and I think it made me more independent. I would have regretted it a lot if I hadn’t lived on campus,” she adds.

It’s all about you

While on-campus living was the right decision for Pellingra, it isn’t for everyone, and some students would actually prefer a commute to stay in the comfort of their own home. Starting college can be a difficult transition and if “leaving the nest” isn’t something you feel comfortable with, then don’t force it. You have options and you should make yourself familiar with all of them. Take the time to make an informed decision about where you will thrive and get the most out of your college years.

Education comes first

According to Monroe Community College, their mission is to be “committed to enriching the educational experience through providing a quality living-learning environment to a diverse community.”

In the end, it’s all about your education. It doesn’t matter where you live, but how you live, and if you are dedicated to making your academic career a success, your school will provide you with all of the support to do so, community college or otherwise.

Jessica Shoemaker is a freelance writer who lives in Rochester, N.Y.

One of the best parts about college is the variety of people and activities that you will encounter. Students from all over the world attend U.S. colleges and groups of all imaginable kinds exist on every campus. Want to join a knitting club? Chances are you can (or you can start one). Want to meet someone from Qatar, Sri Lanka or Tahiti? You probably don’t have to look much further than your dorm. It’s a wonderful, enriching time - one that can increase your appreciation of the world and allow you to embrace and enhance your own diversity.

There are many ways in which you can connect with your heritage, ethnic roots and beliefs in college. Extracurriculars, student groups, political parties, academic pursuits — all of them can be tailored to help you learn about your background, even after you leave home.

Cultural heritage and ethnic groups are among the most vibrant on any college campus, and typically among the most visible. Just a quick glance at any college student group roster will let you see an African American student group, a Latin American group, a Southeast Asian group, a Korean group…Australian, Pacific Rim, Eastern European – the list goes on and on. Even better, these groups are not just open to those with that specific background or heritage, but also avidly welcome students interested in learning more about each culture! These groups often host parties, lectures, book readings, guest speakers, seminars, talent shows and conferences. They are a fantastic way for you to get to know your own cultural or ethnic background as well as the backgrounds of others.

Political parties on campus are also a great way to meet others with similar convictions and participate in lively debates with those who disagree with your stances. Politics in college are very often not limited to merely the Democratic and Republican parties — you’ll also be able to engage in discussion with libertarians, progressives, conservatives and many other groups that can challenge the way you think and cause you to define your beliefs in a sharper way.

Activity groups of every stripe are available to you during those four undergraduate years, too. Everything from juggling to chess and origami to yoga will have a group, and if one doesn’t exist, you can often create it! You can also find traditional student groups and organizations such as student newspapers, magazines, bands, dance ensembles, a cappella groups and comedy troupes (among many, many others). Student groups are a great way to not only embrace your hobbies or interests, but also for you to get to know others with the same penchants and discover other ways you can use your talents.

Academic groups will also form an integral part of many students’ college experiences. Math, science, literature and other academic and honor societies will introduce you to other students who share your major, minor or just general academic interests, and will allow you to delve deeply into subjects you find fascinating. They’re a great way to complement your classroom education (and they never have homework — BONUS!).

Learning to embrace your own beliefs and diversity through student groups and organizations will not only enhance your collegiate experience, it will also let you learn more about yourself, your experiences, your abilities and your interests. Remember, diversity is not just about your race or ethnicity; it’s about your specific interests, too! Get involved in student groups during college and you’ll ace the most important class of all — the one that’s all about YOU!

Anne Chaconas is the director of admissions counseling for PowerScore Test Preparation (www.powerscore.com). Every year, she answers countless questions about college admissions and helps many students get into their top choice schools.

Do you find yourself spending money frequently? Maybe you see your friends spending more money than you do. Are you wondering just how good of a job you are actually doing when it comes to managing your money? If so, here’s a great quiz to help you find out just how well you manage your money and what your money management personality might be!

Keep track of your answers to the following questions and check out your money management personality at the end of the quiz!

Your friends go out to dinner a lot. You usually:
a. Go every time. You love eating out and seeing your friends.
b. Only go one or two days a week.
c. Only go once or twice a month on special occasions.

When you are at the mall with your friends, you:
a. Buy anything you see and want.
b. Buy a completely new outfit.
c. Sometimes treat yourself to a new shirt or shoes.

You now have a credit card. You usually:
a. Swipe it whenever you want, even for a small coffee.
b. Use it to buy clothes and food only.
c. Use it for gas only and cash for any other needs.

The number of days you will go out and socialize each week:
a. Every weekend and sometimes during the week.
b. Usually just two days, but then again, sometimes it’s three.
c. One day a week, if that. You realize it is expensive and there is homework to be done

Whenever you are feeling bored, you:
a. Jump right into your car and go somewhere, not thinking about gas.
b. Sometimes just drive around to unnecessary destinations.
c. Go to the gym or an activity on campus. Gas is expensive and not worth wasting.

When buying textbooks, you:
a. Buy all new.
b. Buy used.
c. Rent them.

Your Money Management personality is…

Mostly A’s: Big Spender!
You really have no concept of saving money at all, and you truly love to spend! But the bad news is, all that spending will eventually will catch up with you. To help manage your money better, destroy (or at least hide) your credit card(s). Also, if you do not have a job, look for a part-time opportunity where you can earn some extra cash to prevent you from running out of money so quickly. This is also a great way to start saving while earning extra cash that you can spend at the same time.

Mostly B’s: Sporadic Shopper
While you can see the importance of saving your money, you still like to indulge at times. Try making a chart for all the times you spend unnecessarily so you can see where you need to stop yourself from spending. This is also the first step in creating a budget. First, find out where your money is going, and then make a plan to better manage it moving forward. You are on the right track, but could use a little nudge in the right direction.

Mostly C’s: Frugal Financier
You truly do see the importance of managing your money. You understand that you must be able to afford the things you buy, or you do not buy them. You also see the importance of doing homework and taking care of your responsibilities rather than continuously socializing, which in turn costs money. You are financially conscious and that is fantastic! Stay on the right track and you will be well your way to a bright financial future.

College Internships

When it comes to finding things to do outside of school and academics, there is no shortage of options; you can work at part-time student jobs, you can volunteer with any number of organizations, you can belong to a sports club, you can start your own business — or you can take on college internships.

More than student jobs

College Internships are a great way for you to get meaningful work experience, learn skills and build up your resumé.

What’s a college internship?

Let’s start with the basics. An internship is an opportunity or program that provides practical experience in a particular occupation or profession. And that’s a pretty good description of what an internship is - on the surface. However, if you look beyond the standard definition of a college internship, you’ll see that it really is more of an exploratory experience that allows you to gain new skills and learn new things.

You will likely hear the word “college internship” a lot when you go to college, or you may have a friend or family member who has shared their internship experience with you. Internships for college students are a bit different than those for high school students. College-level internships are typically more involved and are usually seen as a precursor to a job with the same company or in the same field. High school internships are more relaxed and laid back, typically giving students the opportunity to “shadow” people within the organization and learn their skills.

What does an internship entail?

Unlike most student job, A college internship usually requires you to work a few hours a week at a particular location, under the supervision of a manager. The kinds of tasks you can expect to do as an intern will vary; you may do a lot of clerical work (data entry, filing, organizing), you may be working with clients, you may be helping to plan campaigns or events, or you may be doing something as simple as answering phones. Many employers see interns as a way to increase their workforce by paying little or no money (since many internships are unpaid), so you will likely be doing a variety of different tasks for many different people and departments within an organization.

Where can you find internships?

There are many different ways in which you can find internships but, in recent years, the internet has become one of the best ways to locate them. Sites like www.internships.com are a goldmine when looking for internships for both high school and college students.

Another great source for internship information is your school guidance office and, if you have one, your student employment office. If you want to cut to the chase and seek out internships that are specifically looking for and tailored to high school students, your counseling office is a great starting point —employers listing their opportunities directly with your high school are explicitly stating their interest in hiring high school students (something not all employers may want to do).

How do you look for a college  internship?

Just start looking! Get online and do a simple web search for internships in your area — you’ll be surprised at what you will find. Take the time to contact any companies in your city for which you’d be interested in interning; often, these positions are not listed, but are very much available. Let your parents and your friends’ parents know what you’re looking for; motivated students are more likely to get leads on available positions.

How can an internship help you with your college applications?

An internship looks great on a college application because it demonstrates initiative that goes beyond an after-school job. Interns are typically entrusted with complex and involved jobs and, since they have the ability to shadow more senior members of a team, have a broader range of skills. Listing this experience and these newfound skills on your college application can really underscore the fact that you are a dedicated, hardworking individual who is ready to take your education to the next level.

How can an internship help you with your career plans?

Not only will an internship help you gain new skills and build up your college application, it can also help you determine whether a particular career path is right for you. You can try on many different “hats” as an intern and really get the full range of experience for a particular job - and you’ll be able to determine whether that particular path is the right one for you. You get to test-drive a career without having to commit to it!

A college internship can be a very rewarding experience during which you learn all about a company, a job and a potential career path. Take some time to study your options and see if there are any internships in your area that you’d like to try. Research them thoroughly, submit an application, interview and get ready to embark on a brand-new, exciting experience!

Anne Chaconas is the director of admissions consulting for PowerScore Test Preparation (www.powerscore.com). Every year, she answers countless questions about college admissions and helps many students get into their top choice schools.

School, homework, activities, jobs, SATs, college search, friends…whew! When you are a senior in high school your time is managed pretty well—by everyone other than you! Here are some sure fire tips for staying organized during your senior year.

Use an academic planner. Stay organized by recording all your college visits, after school activities, class assignments and due dates.  Include a row for “college” so that you can plan your essay writing and SAT studying along with your class assignments and exam dates.

Make a to-do list every day. Put the most important task at the top and do that one first. You will feel a sense of accomplishment when you have tackled the hardest “to-do” first.

Set achievable goals. You are more likely to complete your tasks if they are broken down into manageable parts. It is much easier to write one paragraph for your essay in an afternoon than it is to complete the entire common application.

Free gifts.  Free periods and study halls are gifts! Focus on your assignments and to-do list.

Keep your work with you. You can always get an assignment done whether you are on the bus after an away game or at a doctor’s appointment.

Organize your environment. It is just as important to have your bedroom, study area or back pack organized. Organizing these zones will help you stay on schedule and focused.

Set up a special organizing system for your college search. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the mailers, supplements, essays, recommendations, etc. Use a rolling file cart, milk crate or desktop filing system that’s easily accessible and visual. Create a file for each school. Staple a checklist for each college with name of school, application due dates, requirements for references, essays, portfolio and financial aid to the front of each folder and transfer all important dates to your calendar.

Organize your college visits. My daughter, Madelyn, a college freshman, offers this advice:  “Create an evaluation sheet to use as a ‘brain dump’ after each visit. It will help differentiate the information from each info session. It also organized my notes so they would be useable when writing my supplemental essays.”

Ah, senior year. You’ve waited for it, pined for it, ached for it — and now it’s finally here. That last year before you go off to college; the last few months before you get to be on your own.

Understandably, it feels like it drags on forever. After a while, you lose steam and simply become a high school zombie, waiting for that final of final bells to ring so that you can close out your high school chapter and start your college story. You’ve fallen prey to that most dreaded of high school diseases: senioritis. The symptoms of senioritis are common and widespread among graduating classes: glazed-over eyes, blank expressions and lack of interest in everything. You’re done, you’re spent and you’re ready to move on.

The problem is, school isn’t ready to move on with you, and what you do this last year of high school still matters. It matters to your GPA and it matters to the colleges to which you’re applying. Slack off and you could be, in the most extreme cases, saying goodbye to college acceptances you thought were already in the bag.

So, it’s time to come up with a plan. Follow these five simple steps to stay active and involved that last year of high school, and make it truly count.

Become a leader
Now that you’re a senior and you’ve been involved in your extracurriculars for two or three years, it’s time to step it up and really get involved. Become the editor-in-chief of the yearbook or newspaper. Take on the lead role in the school play. Become the volunteer liaison or fundraising leader for your school’s chapter of a charity. You know the lay of the land, so lead the pack! Becoming a leader will keep you involved in your activities, and will help lend structure to your extracurricular pursuits.

Get interested (and interesting!)
Just because it’s your last year, don’t let your curriculum get boring. Sure you need to get all your core courses done (and done well — don’t forget that colleges like to see final transcripts, even if they’ve already accepted you), but that doesn’t mean you can’t spice up your academics with some fun or unusual courses. What off-the-beaten-path classes does your school offer? Seek them out and consider adding one or two to your schedule. It’ll keep things interesting, and keep you interested in academics during this long last year in high school.

Try something new
Just because you are a senior doesn’t mean that you can’t join a new school activity. Consider checking out a new group or club this year. Always wanted to be a football booster? Check them out. Wondered what writing an article in the school newspaper would entail? Contribute one. Love taking pictures? Consider joining the yearbook or school magazine. Not everything on your résumé has to have had lengthy, long-term commitment; sometimes, just doing something because it’s new and fun is enough of a reason. Trying something new keeps things fresh, and may even land you some new friends.

Give back
You’re an expert at navigating the high school scene. You know where to go, what to do and how to get things done. Consider becoming a mentor to incoming freshmen, volunteering at the guidance office and maybe even giving talks through your college advising office about how to best apply to college. Taking the time to guide others through experiences you’ve already mastered will give you a new appreciation for everything you’ve learned.

Remember: It’s a year of “lasts”
Don’t let the fog of senioritis cloud over the fact that this is the last year of high school. Chances are pretty good that everything you do will be some version of the “last time” you do it. Don’t simply go to school for the sake of going — savor each moment! Take pictures. Hang out with your friends. Make a list of all the silly stuff you want to do “one last time”— and then do it! Once you’re in college, high school is gone forever, so make your senior year a year to remember.

Anne Chaconas is the Director of Admissions Counseling for PowerScore Test Preparation (www.powerscore.com). Every year, she answers countless questions about college admissions and helps many students get into their top choice schools.

“I’m paying for my own school. Without a job, I wouldn’t be in college,” says Voranan Mongkolpumirat, junior at Wheelock College (www.wheelock.edu) in Boston, Mass.

Attention prospective college students: prepare to pull out your wallets and get to work because parents aren’t paying up like they used to.

According to a recent ApplyWise.com and NextStepU survey, about 22 percent of parents have not saved any money toward their child’s college education and another 20 percent say they have saved less than $5,000. 

 “I just can’t afford not to work,” says Samantha Seymour, senior at Roberts Wesleyan College (www.roberts.edu) in Rochester, N.Y.

When juggling homework and working, plus trying to hold onto somewhat of a social life, college can feel like a three-ring circus. 

Keep a tight grip on the situation

• Stay on-campus. Whether it is working at the library, gym or café, or guiding tours for incoming students or tutoring fellow students, there are plenty of jobs that need to be done on campus.

Karen Campana, director of new student advising at Benedictine University (www.ben.edu) in Illinois, has seen more students seeking out these types of gigs. Why? The convenience. “I have random one-hour shifts throughout the week that fit right in between my classes,” says Justin Barleben, sophomore at Roberts Wesleyan College (www.roberts.edu).

• Be up-front about your student status with your employer. “Come finals week when you need to alter your schedule a little bit, you need to let your employer know what’s going on,” says Campana. Find somewhere that is known for hiring lots of students. Chances are they will be more flexible and understanding as far as scheduling goes.
• Be assertive, too. If you’re being given far too many hours—just say so! You can’t expect the situation to change until you speak up.
• Plan ahead. Scan your syllabi for tests, quizzes and papers and stock-up on sticky notes. “I have a schedule drawn up that I stick on my wall, listing important dates for the semester,” says Mongkolpumirat.

Campana also suggests being proactive. So if you notice that you have a test, a presentation and two papers due a week and a half down the road, you had better get a head start. Every minute counts. Sneak in extra study time by taking advantage of lunch breaks and slow business – even if that means just flipping through flash cards.

• Schedule your life carefully. If you would like to work mornings at a coffee shop, then look into afternoon/night classes. If you would rather work evenings at a restaurant, then consider enrolling in some earlier classes. 

But either way, be sure to pencil-in some time to breathe. “It gets kind of crazy schedule-wise,” warns Barleben. “Just make sure you actually have room for everything and time to commit.”

Keep in mind that professors are also doing what they can to help you make the most of class time, Campana says. “Some instructors are allowing students to meet during part of class for larger group projects.”

• Get a life and make time for yourself. Do not hesitate to give away some hours and take a weekend off once in a while. Barleben tries to keep his evenings open. It is these time-outs that can help keep you sane.

Promise yourself when…you get less than five hours of sleep a night; when your friends think you have gone missing, that you will cut back on hours or quit. Barleben, for example, tells himself that if his grades were to start suffering, he would stop working as much.

• Be realistic. If work just isn’t working out, don’t be afraid to stop. Your job should not cost you happiness.

School is a full-time job – “If you end up failing a class, you’re the one who’s paying for it. There’s no second chance with that money,” says Voranan.

But it will all pay off. “Even though it’s stressful at times, I feel like I’m preparing myself for the real-world,” says Seymour. 

Bryn Durgin has a bachelor’s degree in communications/journalism from St. John Fisher College (www.sjfc.edu) in Rochester, NY. 

Making sure your finances are in order before you go to college is something that is just as important as making sure you’ve packed everything you need and have registered for classes. And “finances” doesn’t just mean making sure your tuition is paid and your financial aid is in place! Being familiar with your personal finances—how you handle money, how you budget, and where you spend your cash is essential, too.

So, what steps can you take to make sure that you keep on top of your college finances, and set yourself up for financial success after you get your college degree?

Get a job
Nothing makes you start caring about where your money goes like getting a job. When you have to work hard for every dollar you get, you start paying closer attention to how it is spent. Consider getting an after-school job while you’re still in high school (and continue it through the summers, working more hours, so that you can save up for when you leave for college). Once you’re in college, consider getting a campus job. Colleges love employing their own students, and often pay them much nicer hourly wages than you could find off-campus. If your college doesn’t have campus jobs or you can’t find one, get an off-campus job. Every college town has plenty of jobs for college students, ranging from waiting tables to part-time office work. Start weaning yourself from your parents’ pocketbooks, and start earning your own cash. Not only will it make you feel like a self-sufficient adult, it will also let you value and understand money a lot more.

Get familiar with your finances
Do you have a checking account? If you don’t, get one. Start putting money in it. Get online banking, and get in the habit of periodically checking your account. Know how much money there is in there at any given time, and know where your money is going. Once you have a checking account, consider starting to pay for some of your own bills, like your cell phone or your gas (after all, your parents can’t pay for those things forever!).

Get familiar with how banking works, what incentives your bank offers (many college town banks waive checking or ATM fees for students with a certain GPA, for example, or give you bonuses or freebies if you make Dean’s List). Consider getting a debit card so that you can start making purchases on your own. Debit cards work like credit cards in that you can make purchases wherever credit cards are accepted—but only let you use the money you actually have in the bank. It’s a great way to start getting used to using “plastic” instead of cash. Consider opening a savings account, too, and putting a small amount of money in there every month. Even something as small as $25 every month can quickly add up (by the end of a year, you’ll have saved $300!).

Learn how to budget
Budgeting isn’t just for moms and families—it’s for anyone who wants to keep their bank account in the black! It’s not hard to do—budgeting is just a fancy word for planning ahead. Sit down and write down all your expenses, and then compare them to your income. Make sure your expenses don’t exceed your income, and plan ahead for big purchases (like a spring break trip with your new college friends). There are great (and free!) online budgeting tools like Mint.com and BudgetSimple.com that let you follow everything online, and keep on track with what you earn and what you spend. Use your parents as a resource to help you get started with budgeting, too—after all, they’ve been doing it for a long time, and will have great insight and tips to share!

Think about what you purchase, and whether you really need it:

• That expensive cell phone with all the bells and whistles? Remember that there’s also an expensive monthly cell phone plan that comes along with it—it’s not just the cost of the phone you have to save up for.
• That super-advanced laptop? You probably don’t need such a fancy one unless you’re going into architecture or video game design—get the cheaper one instead.
• Have a university meal plan? Use it! Don’t eat out unless you absolutely have to—and you shouldn’t if you have a meal plan. Don’t have a meal plan? Go grocery shopping! Eating at restaurants can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars a month. You can buy a week’s worth of groceries for what you’d spend on two or three meals at a restaurant.
• Going out with friends? Cover fees, entry costs, food and drinks can add up fast. Make your outings sporadic rather than constant—you’ll save a ton of money, and they’ll be more special, too!

Depend on yourself
Most importantly, learn to pay your own way. You’ll find that once you get into the hang of being a money-conscious adult, being smart about your finances, your credit and your money is easy!

Understand credit cards
Credit cards can be dangerous if you don’t know how to use them correctly—not only can you end up owing a lot of money very fast, but if you don’t pay that money off in a timely manner, it can end up impacting your credit score, which can hurt your chances of being able to get a car or house down the road! Chances are pretty good you don’t need a credit card while you’re in college—but if you want to have one, then talk to your parents about it first. They have experience using credit, and can give you guidance on whether a credit card is a good idea for you, and help you get one if it is. Spend wisely (and frugally!).

Anne Chaconas is the director of admissions counseling for PowerScore Test Preparation (www.powerscore.com). Every year, she answers countless questions about college admissions and helps many students get into their top choice schools. 

A typical Facebook user’s recent activity might be something like this: Turn off the light. Check. Remember passport and ticket. Check. Close the windows. Check. Ready to go to Hawaii. Oh wait, almost forgot to tell my friends! Post on Facebook and Twitter from mobile, “On my way to Hawaaaaaaaii! Check.

Another person’s activity: Check Facebook. Sneak in to unsuspecting person’s room since they are away on vacation. Check. Look for valuables. Check. Grab laptop sitting on the table...

Just one status update on social networking websites can lead to unwanted consequences. Criminals are increasingly using social networking websites for their own questionable purposes. Plus, there’s another kind of user checking you out online—potential employers. So be sure you know what you’re putting online and be a bit more careful about your public posts!

Student privacy please
If you use social networking websites in your life, update your status, post photos and videos, but don’t pay much attention to privacy issues, then your information is open for public viewing. Not only are photographs viewed, but very personal items like your address, telephone number and Skype username can be found by simply reading through your recent activities and posts.

Social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, are one of the fastest growing phenomenon on the Internet. But they certainly aren’t private forums. That’s why you have to understand your privacy settings, know the risks of using the social networking websites and learn what not to post as a student.

Who can see you?
The photographs of you and the photos you have been tagged in on Facebook are available to all friends of friends when using the recommended setting. This may sound harmless, but let’s do the math. Say you have 130 friends, and each of those friends has another 130 friends, half of whom are mutual. That means more than 8,000 people can view your photos. This conservative estimate is a surprisingly large number. So if you are even more social, the number of friends and friends of friends increases exponentially.

You have to check the privacy-setting page yourself, gather information about each section on it and choose the correct setting for your life. By understanding how to set a strong privacy setting, you can protect your posts and information on social networking websites and the Internet.

Do you know who your friends are?
Even if you have a strong privacy setting, your private posts or personal information on social media sites can still be leaked out—thanks to your friends. Before you continue reading, check your friend list and think about these two questions: How many friends do you have on your social networking website? How many of them have you actually met or know well?

You should not accept requests from unknown friends. However, most people do accept a friend request from strangers. Even though accepting a friend request from “a friend of a friend” might seem harmless, be careful. These so called “friends” on social networking websites can gain access to items such as status updates, posted photos and personal details.

You should also “clean up” your friend list by deleting friends you haven’t talked to recently or do not know in order to reduce the risk of your personal items being leaked.

Before you post anything on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or any other social networking website, ask yourself whether it’s worth telling your friends, and if so, consider how many people are able to see the post.

Remember to keep private, personal details out of your posts. Somebody you don’t know is watching you on the Internet for many possible reasons. Be aware of your privacy settings on social networking websites and protect yourself from unwanted consequences in your life.

Hideaki Furukawa was born in Japan in 1996 and moved to Switzerland when he was a 5th grade student. He has been helping others better understand social media ever since. 

My life my last year of high school was such a blur. 

The year started with the mad dash to test, apply to colleges and apply for financial aid. Meanwhile, I was busy taking AP and dual enrollment courses at the local community college.

I was too busy. 

I didn’t attend the football games that I had really enjoyed in my earlier high school years, and I don’t recall any exciting service projects, although I was a member of various community service groups. I didn’t even have time in my life to muster up a date for prom — I went with a limo-full of girl friends instead.

Was my life that year a blast? Absolutely. We had high school pep rallies, college prep nights and senior trips. 

But if I had to do it all over again (and you’ll hear me say this a lot) I would have done a few things differently. I wouldn’t have worried so much about college credit. That’s what college is for. 

And although I found time to work part time and contribute to neighborhood newspapers, I probably should have spent that free time on campus. When I look back I don’t remember any really great senior moments—only blurry ones. 

Slow down. You only have this last year once. Sure there is lots to do, but find time to make the most of those once-in-a-lifetime senior moments. 

Enid Arbelo Bryant is the Editor in Chief of NextStepU Magazine (www.NextStepU.com). Her mistakes are your good fortune as she recalls her college years and what she wishes she knew then.